Curling rod



7 s. GRA'NT Feb. 11, 1 947.

CURLIN G ROD Filed Nov. 20, 1944 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 11,1947

l'lED STATES CURLING ROD Samuel Grant, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Products Development, Inc., Chicago, llll., a corporation of Illinois 7 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in our]- ing rods and particularly to a hair curling rod of i a kind especially adapted for use in the process commonly referred to as cold permanent waving.

In cold permanent waving of hair, the hair is divided into a large number of individual tresses which are wound upon curling rods and thoroughly saturated with a waving solution. After the solution has remained on the wound tress for a predetermined period of time, the wound tress is subjected to the application of a neutralizing solution to wash out the waving solution. In use, the curling rod is held at its ends and applied to the free end of a hair tress. It is then rolled between the fingers inwardly towards the scalp to wind the hair tress thereon. Such winding necessarily places the hair tress under considerable tension with the result that the hair tress is tightly Wound thereon.

Because a tightly wound curl impedes the penetration of the waving and neutralizing solutions to the innermost strands of hair in the curl being processed, it is advisable to provide means whereby the wound tress of hair may be loosened sufficiently to facilitate the free flow of the solutions therethrough. This desired degree of penetration of the solutions is accomplished by the use of a curling rod embodying features of the present invention, which rod is provided with novel means to relieve the tension of the initially tightly wound curl.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide such a curling rod with means for effecting a contraction of its circumferential area so as to impart looseness to a curl wound thereon and thereby facilitate complete saturation of the waving solutions throughout the entire body of the curl.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curling rod of the kind embodying the features of the present invention, with readily removable means to clamp a hair tress to the rod preliminary to the winding of said tress thereon.

Another object is to provide a contractible curling rod with novel manually actuable means to effect positive contraction and expansion of said rod, and further, to provide novelly attached means to secure a hair tress wound thereon against unwinding,

Other and further objects of the present in vention will be apparent from the following descriptions and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment and principle thereof and which is considered to be the best mode of applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention, embodying the same or equivalent principle, may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a curling rod embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational View of the curling rod, partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the rod taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of one end of the curling rod.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the other end of the curling rod.

The curling rod illustrated in the accompanying drawing and considered to be the best form of rod for applying the principles of the present invention, preferably is shaped substantially cylindrical and has a mid-portion of uniformly contracted diameter which gradually increases towards opposite ends of the rod to provide end portions of substantially larger diameter. This formation enables a hair tress to be wound-substantially uniformly upon the rod, the thickest portion of the wound tress normally forming in the middle of the rod and thinning out towards the endto provide a substantially cylindrical curl thereon.

The curling rod preferably includes a shaped body portion I l in the form of a contracted tube,

which may be fashioned from any suitable sheet.

or tubular material, such, as metal, plastics, or the like, having plurality of circumferential spaced longitudinal slots l2 therein terminating short of the ends thereof. Fittings, in the form of end plugs l3 and Hi, are provided in opposite ends of the tubular body portion ii to thereby close the ends thereof, and said fittings may be secured in place to the respective body ends in any suitable manner. In the present disclosure, the ends of the tubular body it are provided with suitable bendable lips l5 adapted to engage over and snugly embrace portions of the fittings l3 and M so as to prevent their being removed from the body ends.

The end fitting i3 is provided with an axial opening It through which a stem His extended. The outer end of the stern ll carries a suitable mounted at an end knob l8 having a circumferentially enlarged portion or flange l9 and a reduced body portion 2!. The stem I1 is intended for longitudinal reciprocation in.the opening I6 so that the position of an enlargement 22, provided on its innermost end may be varied longitudinally with respect to the body portion H. The enlargement 22 constitutes a camming element intended to cooperate either directly with the contracted wall portions 23, defined in the body by the slots 12, or with suitable means on said wall portions so as to cause said portions to be moved outwardly radially to thereby increase the circumferential area of the medial body portion. Preferably, each of the wall portions 23 of the tubular body is provided with a detent projection 24 extending inwardly radially therefrom. Upon reference to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the detent projections 24 are arranged in diametrically opposed pairs and that their innermost surfaces are disposed normally within the path of the camming element 22.

When the camming element 22 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the wall portions 2% lie in contracted positions normally attained because of the inherent resiliency of the material formingthe body. However, when the camming element 22 is moved into the position best illustrated in Fig. 2, the detent projections '24, normally lying in the path of the said element, are engaged by said element and are camrned outwardly radially so as to thereby move the wall portions 23 outwardly radially and consequently increase the circumferential area or the medial portion of the body H.

l he curling rod is initially applied to the end of the hair tress in the manner described hereinabove. It should be evident that difiiculty might be encountered in initially holding the end of the hair tress in place on the rod preparatory to winding the same thereon. Accordingly, the curling rod of the present invention may be provided with a suitable clamp 25, best shown in Figures 1 and 2, of a kind adapted to be pivotally to one end of the rod for movement into opened and closed positions.

The clamp 25 may be pivotally mounted on the curling rod in any suitable manner, however, it is preferred that it be spaced leg portions 26, tent projection 21, providing journals one to be mounted in each of a pair of diametrically opposed holes 28, provided in the body H. This manner of mounting the clamp 25 enables said clamp to be easily and quickly removed and attached to the curling rod.

The winding of the hair tress may best be accomplished by grasping the rod at its ends and rollingthe same inwardly towards the scalp. It should be evident that such winding of the hair tress would result in a tightly wound curl. Since it is inadvisable to apply the'waving and other solutions to a tightly wound curl because of the difficulty entailed in obtaining complete saturation of the innermost strands of hair in the curl, the curling rod isadjusted to its fully expanded condition at the time of winding the hair tress. As soon as the hair tress has been wound upon the rod and secured to prevent unwinding, in a mannerto be described presently, the rod is contracted by moving the camming element 22 out of engagement with the detent projections 24 in the manner described hereinabove. As a result, the medial portion of the tubular body H assumes its normal position and the curl is now formed at one end with each provided with a de-' 4 loose on the curling rod but is retained against displacement by the securing means previously referred to.

The means for securing the wound curl upon the rod, consists of a strand 29 of rubber or other elastic material, which preferably is firmly anchored at one end to the flange l9 on knob I8. The strand is adapted to be brought across the wound curl and have its free end wedgingly engaged in one of a plurality of slots 3i, formed in the end fitting M, as is best shown in Fig. 3.

"It should be noted at this time that the slots 3i in said end portion are restricted in width as they approach their innermost ends so that upon drawing the free end of the strand 29 deeply into said slots, said strand is firmly wedged therein.

It frequently happens that the strand 29 becomes damaged, or is otherwise rendered useless, because of deterioration or other causes, with the result that, unless said strand is easily removed from the curlingrod and another one easily attached thereto, the entire device becomes useless for the purpose intended. Accordingly, the secured end of the strand 29 preferably is extended through a hole 32 in the flange IQ of knob l8, and it is provided at its extremity with a ferrule 33 or other suitable enlargement, so as to prevent its being withdrawn outwardly through the hole 32.

The usual difficult task of threading the strand 25 through the hole 32 is avoided in the present instance byproviding a slot 34 in the margin of the flange [9 communicating with the hole 32. The slot 34 is of a width considerably less than the breadth of the strand 29, but, because said strand is fashioned of elastic or other readily compressible material, it may be urged readily through the slot- 34 upon the application of pressure thereto, either while being attached to or being removed from the knob l8.

It should be evident that the curling rod of the present invention embodies novel features making it highly useful for cold permanent waving of the hair, since it includes means to initially retain the hair tress in place on the rod and means for securing the wound hair tress in place even after said tress has been loosened by contraction of the rod extended therethrough. The slots 12 also have the useful purpose in aiding the penetration and circulation of the waving solutions, because the solutions may flow freely through and over the curl and pass downwardly into the rod through one or more of the slots and reenter the curl upon flowing outwardly through other of the slots back into the curl.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it should be understood that the features of the invention may be incorporated in curling rods shaped other than the particular shape of the rod illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A curling rod comprising, in combination, a shaped tubular body having circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots terminating short of its ends, a fitting arranged at each end of said tubular body, one of said fittings having diametrical slots on its outer end, a member slidably mounted in said tubular body having a cam element arranged to cooperate with the inner surfaces of said body to urge portions thereof outwardly radially, a clamp on said body to secure a hair tress thereto while it is being wound on said body, and means to secure the wound hair tress against unwinding, said means consisting of an elastic strand anchored at an end to said memher and adapted to be extended across the wound tress and have its other end engaged in one of the slots in the first named fitting.

2. A curling rod comprising, in combination, a shaped tubular body having circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots terminating short of its ends, a fitting arranged at each end of said tubular body, one of said fittings having diametrical slots on its outer end, a member slidably mounted in said tubular body and having a cam element arranged to cooperate with the inner surfaces of said body to urge portions thereof outwardly radially, and means to secure the Wound hair tress against unwinding, said means consisting of an elastic strand anchored at an end to said member and adapted to be extended across the wound tress and have its other end engaged in one of the slots in the first named fitting.

3. A curling rod comprising, in combination, a shaped tubular body closed at its ends having normally contracted medial portions, an engageable member slidably mounted in one end of said body movable into cooperative engagement with the contracted portion of the body to expand said portion, and an elastic fastening strand detachably carried on the end of said member adapted to be extended across a hair tress wound on said rod and be engaged in aslot at the other end of the body and to hold the hair tress from unwinding, said strand when so extended being effective to urge the engageable member out of engagement with the contracted body portion and to hold the engageable member in that position.

4. A curling rod comprising, in combination, a shaped tubular body having circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots terminating short of its ends, said slots defining spaced intermediate wall portions, a fitting at each end of said tubular body, a member slidably mounted in said tubular body and having a cam element arranged to cooperate with the inner surfaces of said body to urge portions thereof outwardly radially, the other fitting having a bifurcated end, a clamp on said body to secure a hair tress thereto while it is being wound on said body, said clamp being removable, and means to secure the wound hair tress against unwinding, said means consisting of an elastic strand anchored at an end to said member and adapted to be extended across the wound trsss and have its other end engaged in the bifurcated end of said other fitting.

5. A curling rod comprising, in combination, an elongated circumferentially expandable body adapted to have a tress of hair wound thereon, cam means slideable through an end of said body and engageable with the inner surfaces of said body to hold said body expanded while said tress is being wound, said cam means being disengageable from said inner surfaces to enable the body to contract after the tress is wound thereon, said means including a knob, and means carried by said knob and engageable with means on the rod to secure the wound hair tress against unwinding and to prevent inadvertent movement of the adjustable means into a rod expanding position.

6. A curling rod comprising, in combination, an elongated circumferentially expandable body adapted to have a tress of hair wound thereon, cam means slideable through an end of said body and engageable with the inner surfaces of said body to hold said body expanded while said tress is being wound, said carn means being disengageable from said inner surfaces to enable the body to contract after the tress is wound thereon, said means including a knob, and means carried by said knob and engageable with means on the rod to secure the wound hair tress against unwinding, said means being effective when engaged with the rod end to move the adjustable means into a position to enable the body to contract and to prevent inadvertent movement of the adjustable means into a rod expanding position.

7. A curling rod comprising, in combination, a shaped tubular body having circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots terminating short of its ends, end fittings one partially telescoped into each end of said body, one of said fittings being bifurcated, the other fitting having an axial opening therethrough, a longitudinally shiftable rod extending into said body through said opening, a cam element on the endof said rod within the body adapted when the rod is in a predetermined position of adjustment to cooperate with the inner surfaces of the body to urge portions thereof outwardly radially, a knob on the outer end of said rod, an elastic strand anchored at an end to said knob and adapted to be extended across a tress wound upon the curling rod and have its other end engaged in said bifurcations said strand tending to retain the shiftable rod in one of its positions of adjustment.

SAMUEL GRANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

